Filing element



May 28, 1929. H. E. MOLIARD FILING ELEMENT Filed May 17, 1927 INVENTQR HENRY E. MOLIARD.

W ATTORNEY Patented May 28, 1929,

UNITED STATES- ATENT CE -I TV HENRY E. MOLIAVBD, or YHICVKSVILLE, ivnw YORK.

FILING ELEMENT.

Application fiied m 17, 1927. Serial No. 191,966.

This invention relates to filing-elements for indexesand filing systems where the elements such as cards, leaves, or sheets are'to be disposed in overlapping groups in a loose leaf binder having a plurality of impaling means such asrings, posts, pins or bars so that a portion of each element of each group ISVlSl:

ble forindexing purposes.

In such a series of'elementsthe removal or, insertion of a single element of a group necessarilyinvolves the temporary displacement of the entire group and if the elements of a group are not held together during removal and replacement they become disarranged and must be replaced one by one thus involving considerable waste of time. Furthermore with the present type of elements'an especial arrangement of theimpaling means is necessary in order to adapt the elements for use whereas with my invention the elements can be em loyed with binders in which the spacing of the impaling elements varies and in which fewer impalingelements' are employed 1 than'usual. Y

v The object of this invention is to interlock the elements whereby they can be re' moved and replaoedin groups without becomdisarranged, (2) they can be adjusted to' vary the amount of visiblematter-oneach element and (3)," they can be adjusted to vary the spacebetween their binder perforations to align them with respect to the impalin'g elements.

The invention comprises providing each element such as a card, leaf or sheet with at least one binder perforation and with, means for interlocking with adjacent elements to form a series which can be manipulated as a unit to avoid disarrangement during removal and replacement of the series Withrespect to the engaging means. The interlocking means are such as to permit the elements to be ad-- justed with respect to each other so that the amount of visible matter oneach card can be varied and-to. permit the series of elements to be so adjusted'that at least two offlthe binder perforations of the series can be spaced to engage with theimpaling means such as binder rings so that-the series of cards can be used in binders having two-or more rings and can. be therein handled as, a unit. The

lnterlocking means of one formis also such as to permit of the adjustment of the; elements with respectto each other even while they are interlocked. o 1

The invention more specifically comprises providing each element with at least one binder perforation and with a tongue to en: gage in a slit inanother elementto interlock the elements. By varying the amount to which the tongues project into the s'lits the series can be arrangedso that if the binder only has two rings, two perforations in the series will connect with these rings and permit the series to behandled as a unit.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings, of which, v 7' Fig.1 is an elevation of a sheet element of one form of my'inv'ention.

Fig. 2 isanother'form thereof. I Fig. 3 is an elevation with portions broken away" showing a .series'of elements of the form shown in Fig. 1 disposed in a loose leaf binder. J

F i 4 is a partial View showinga series of; inter ocked elements of theform shown in Fip2.

fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through the tongues'of Fig. 3 1 1 In the form of invention shown i1i;Fig.-1, the element is a card 10 liav,ingafplurality "of binder perforations 11 along one edge. A

tongue 12 is cut from the material of the card extending parallel. to the line of perforations and including some of thenito inter-lock with another element, A slit 1,8 is'spaced from the inner end oftlie tongueand :is adapted to a receive a'similar tongue on another element. In Fig. 2 a-card 14 is shown witha plurality of binder perforations 15 along one edge and a tongue 16 is disposedin one corner at an angle and adjacent theedge along which the perforations 15 are disposed. j Spaced along thesame' edge with' tongue 16 are one or more slits, such as 17 {adapted to receive similar tongues on other elements. 3 In F g."8 is hown aloose'leaf binder 18 having binder rings 195 engaginga series of cards 20 to 25,",inclusive,which are of the form illustrated in" F Thetongue of one card is a'daptedto be received 'in the slit of the adjacent, j e ie er'l iekl h m ede In Fig. 4, aseries of cards 26 to29, inclusive, and of the form shown in Fig. 2 are interlocked with different overlaps. It is clear that the tongue 16 of one card can be inserted in any one of the slits 17 to interlock the ele- .ments and the amount of overlap will be determined by the slit thus employed.

While inmost cases loose leaf binders have more than two rings, in some instances six or seven rings, it is apparent that this invention permits a series of overlapping cards to be placed in a binder regardless of the number of rings. Each card in common practice is generally provided with at least two perforations and by adjusting the engagement of the tongue in the slits the space between the perforations can be varied to align the perforations with the rings.

Therefore a series of elements such as cards, leaves or sheets can be interlocked and held together in groups in a predetermined alignment such as with respect to a series of binder perforations and the amount of overlap can be varied even while the, cards are interlocked to permit the visible portion of the cards to be changed. In handling cards thus connected to remove them from or replace them in a binder, thecards do not become disarranged as this manipulation is made exceedingly simple. It is possible to change the length, dimensions and relative disposition of the tongues and slits with respect to each other and the edges of the elements, and the character of the perforations may be different from that shown without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Iclaim 1. A filing element having at least one binder perforation amlineans for interlocking it with a similar element tohold them together as a unit but adapted to permit their adjustment whereby the space between the perforations can be varied to align them with respect to a plurality of impaling means on the binder.

j 2. A pair of filing elements each having at least one binder perforation and means adof evenly spaced impaling members, such means allowing the members to be so inserted with more than one degree of overlap.

4. A filing element having a binder perforation and a plurality of slits and a tongue adapted to interlock with any one of theplu'.

rality of slits in a similar element to hold them together as a unit, thereby permitting the space between the perforations to be varied to align them with respect to a plurality of impaling means on a binder.

5. A series of filing elements each having at least one binderperforation and a plurality of slits, and each having a tongue adaptedto interlock with any one of the plurality of slits in an adjacent element of the series to hold them together in overlapped relation and allow them to be adjusted for in sertion as a unit in a binder having a series of evenly spaced impaling elements with more than one degree of overlap.

6. A filing element having at least one binder perforation and a slit adjacentone edge, a tongue disposed adjacent said edge to interlock with the slit in an adjacent similar element, the space between the tongue and the slit determining the amount of visible area of the elements but permitting the elements while held together as a unit to be adjusted to align the perforations with a plurality of impaling means in a binder.

7. A filing element having at least one binder perforation and a slit adjacent one edge, a tongue adjacent said edge to interlock with the slit on an adjacent similar ele ment, the spacebetween the" tongue and the slit determining the amount of visible area of each element but permitting the elements while held together as a unit tobe adjusted to align the perforations with a plurality of impaling means on a binder, the area of the tongue including at least one. perforation.

' 8; A filing element having at least one binder perforation adjacent one edge and a plurality of spaced slits disposed within the areaof the element and disposed at an angle with respect to said edge, a, tongue'formed at one corner of the element at asimilarangle to said edge and adapted to interlock with slits on an adjacent similar element, the space between the tongue and the respective slits determiningthe amount of matter visible on the overlappingmargin of any element and also permitting further incidental adjustment of the perforations with respect to the impaling means on a binder.

9. A series of filing elements each having at least one binder perforation and having means for adjustably interlocking the elements together in overlapped relation for insertion as a unit in abinderhaving a series f impaling members, such meansallowing the members to be so inserted with more than one degree of overlap. r p p 10. A series of filmg elements each having at least one binder perforation and a plupaling elements with more than one degree of rality of slits,and each having a tongue adaptoverlap. I ed to interlock with any one of the. plurality Signed at New York city in the county of 10 of slits in an adjacent element of the series New York and State of New York this 16th 5 to hold them together in overlapped relation day of May A. D. 1927. I

and allow them to be adjusted for insertion as a unit in a binder having a series of ime I HENRY'E. MOL'IARD. 

